


Two Sides Of The Same Coin

by SensitiveCephalopod



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Niles is a rich bitch, Niles takes dating advice from a cat, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Sexual Content, Violence, mostly relationships that aren't LeoNiles is background/hinted
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-05-01 21:32:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19185871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SensitiveCephalopod/pseuds/SensitiveCephalopod
Summary: AU where Niles is a Prince of Nohr and Leo is a thief taken in as a servant.I'm great at summaries.





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into their lives before they met

"Niles! The cat won't come out!" The young girl cries out with a pout on her face. Niles lets out a small chuckle and walks over to her with a small bowl of milk in hand. 

 

"I wouldn't come out if a loud but adorable giant was yelling at me too." He sets down the bowl and motions to Elise to come with him so they could move back from the cat's personal space. Once they give the animal its space, the small calico cat with a heart shaped spot on its behind pops its head out from under the shack. It walks over and starts sipping the milk, unaware that the weird taller loud cats are watching. 

 

Elise watches with glee, itching to run her dainty fingers through its fur. “Do you think it likes us now?” she looks up at her older brother. 

 

“Hmm not quite. Sure it likes the milk we left out for it, but doesn’t mean we completely won its trust just yet.” He notices a pout appearing on the younger’s face again. “Although....doesn’t mean we’ll give up just yet~ We’ll just need more milk to leave out.” A chuckle leaves his lips once Elise’s face is back to her bright and cheery smile. 

 

Once the cat had its fill of milk and empties the bowl, it meows and scurries back into its hiding spot without a second thought. As Elise goes over to pick up the bowl, Niles’s attention slowly drifts over to the wyverns in the distance landing in the castle grounds, not even noticing Elise saying something to him.  _ Ah, so Camilla and that weird mute girl are back… _ he kept watching the handlers helping his sister lead the wyverns into their stables until Elise’s small hand waves in front of his face, causing him to jump back blinking.

 

“Hey, I’ve been calling you over and over but you wouldn’t turn around!” She huffed a bit, but didn’t chide into him too much once she saw his brow furrowing, “Anyways, let’s go sneak a snack again!~ I heard there’s strawberry tarts just waiting for us to eat up!~” 

 

He exhales a laugh through his nose and stands up, “Fine, but I’ll leave you behind if you dally too much again. Last time we barely escaped Carlita...” He shuddered at the idea of being on the receiving end of her roller...again. 

 

“Oh come on, like I’m going to slow us down ag- Hey!” Once she noticed Niles already having a headstart ahead of her, she hurries after him.

  
  


…………

  
  


It wasn’t Elise’s fault this time around. He just had to keep her making those cute whines and pouts that he adores (but would never admit to) so much and it ended up biting him in the butt. Not one, not two, but three hits from Carlita’s roller to the rear, after she caught the two snacking in her pantry again. Now both of them were whining and pouting as he walked Elise back to her quarters.

 

Once Elise settled into her room, Niles takes a stroll through the halls that pass by the castle’s powder room, where a lot of nobles and courtesans often pass their time gossiping, stuffing their disgusting faces with food with audible lip smacking and chewing. He would just pass by the room without a care. Usually. He could care less of what those over-powdered stuck up bastards think, if they actually did. He doesn’t care. Doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter that they call him “a dirty mutt who was lucky enough to win a spot in the royal family over the child that actually has royal blood in him”. Someone who’s just pitied over because of how many times his mother spread her legs for the king. Perhaps he’s just as desperate. It doesn’t matter, it shouldn’t matter, it’s just all poppycock bull spewing out of their dumb mouths, he thinks, as he reaches his quarters and slams his door shut. It shouldn’t bother him, he’s heard all this before, so why cry now? 

 

Why?

  
  


……

  
  


He lays in his bed staring at the ceiling, his stomach aching from skipping lunch again and his fingers scratched by his own fingernails, a nervous tick that stayed with him as a child. What if they’re right? He doesn’t belong here. He doesn’t belong with  _ them _ . It was supposed to be his younger brother that’s supposed to lay in this bed, eat with “his” family, be taught all these books, these tomes, string these bows. He runs his fingers through his hair, just wanting to pull at it until his scalp was bleeding and as patchy haired as he remembers; more like his childhood. Like how many tantrums he had to suffer from that little brat; the many whippings he received from their mother when “he went out of line,” when it was just self-defense; the times he had to play dummy for his brother’s training. He had no say, no control, everything had to be his mother’s way, for his brother’s benefit. Even though now, he’s under Garon’s control, Niles couldn’t help but admit….

 

It was damn satisfying seeing his brother’s face drop once he was chosen to be the second Prince. The devastation that crawled over the young boy’s face and the fake smile plastered on his mother’s face while her eyes brimmed with the look of anger and shock. All those years of being just a yes man to a brat, now given a role he was never meant to play and shoes he never expected to fill with his own feet.

 

Maybe it’s time to remind those snooty nosed bastards that he earned his spot, prove to them that he does belong here, maybe even prove to himself, that he  _ is _ the second Prince of Nohr, as ruthless and cruel as his reputation preceded him to be.

 

_ ‘Tomorrow’s mission....’ _ Niles looks over the missive he was given, an order to conquer a small village with a small fleet behind him, giving him the reins to lead this time. ‘ _ Tomorrow’s mission will change everything….’ _

 

* * *

  
  
  


Rain pours down the streets in the city of Windmire, slightly flooding the poorer areas of the city’s outskirts, gushing into shoddy homes. A hooded figure briskly makes his way in between alleyways, getting slightly drenched from the pouring rain as he tries to keep a bag of bread and cheese dry. Soon he reaches the outskirts of the town and quickly trots through the dry forest. Even if it rains day to day, night to night, nothing ever grows here in Nohr. If it does, it must be harvested quickly before it rots into something inedible. Not even the most hungry would stuff their mouths with the fermenting rotten fruit and vegetables that surround the lands.

 

Soon, the figure reaches a run down and abandoned fort that now serves as a hideout of a very...infamous thief. He quietly opens the door as he enters the barely lived in fort, shuffling his feet to the “kitchen” area, and places the bag on an unlevel table that can only be steadied by a block of wood.

 

“So the mutt’s back,” a gruff voice calls out from the shadows. It’s slurred a bit after downing a bottle of whatever they could even find leftover in the fort’s wine cellar. The man behind the voice scratches at his scruffy chin hairs as he stares over at the other man.

The hooded figure slowly uncovers his face. Unlike the rest of rogues he resides with, he’s softer in the face, pale skinned, with blond hair framing his sharp green eyes. “I was able to get something before I was recognized.” He takes out the bread and a few blocks of cheese that he was able to snag from a fancy new cafe in one of the Windmire districts. Despite his gaunt face and spindly figure, he’s quite a catch once the dirt is washed off, dressed in clothes a lot nicer he usually wears, and a few puffs of colognes he previously swiped from parlors. He could easily pass himself off as a fellow resident of the city to make a few quick bucks, or a whole coinpurse, off an eager nobleman and five finger discounts of food he was sure he can make off with easily. 

 

The drunkard gets up from the ground and closes the gap between him and the young blond. Blondie tries to keep space between them but his personal space is invaded nonetheless. Personal. Now that’s a word Blondie has never experienced nor would experience. Fingers run through the soft but dirty locks before it grips into a fist, pulling him closer. A pained gasp escaped the younger’s lips as he tenses up, feeling those arms coil around his thin frame. It would be a horrible mistake if he tried to struggle now.

 

“We were planning a little something while you were getting food.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“We’re doing another heist.” 

 

Blondie’s eyes widened at the absurd idea. “Are you insane?? After the last one we blund-” **SLAM!** The younger man flinched when his superior slammed his hand on the table, and a slight creaking could be heard. 

 

“I don’t believe I gave you permission to speak to me that way, mutt.” Blondie’s lips tighten to a thin line as he tries to keep his composure, not wanting to set him off again.  _ ‘If only he wasn’t drunk, he would’ve been easier to calm down…’ _

 

“As I was saying… this will be our last heist. Since the home we’re breaking into will definitely keep our pockets filled for a long while.”

 

“Hmm.” 

Seeing as he’s not getting through him, The older man tucks some of his hair behind his ear, “Leo.”

 

He’s got Leo’s attention now. Mostly because most times Leo’s name is ever called out, it’s either a punishment or a favor he has to do. “You remember that silly little dream you had? The one where there was a little cabin in the forest? Where it was just you and me?” Curiously he looks up at him, wondering where he’s getting at. Why is he bringing up that little dream that Leo dreamed of having, if they were able to find a steady way to keep their coin? “This heist can help make it real. So please…  _ Leo _ . Help us with the heist.”

 

It sends shivers down his spine, hearing his name in that rough tone. “...Boss-”

 

“You can say it.” The now sobered up man smirks when he spots a confused look on his favorite mutt. “My name.”

 

“...Rafe. Can you assure me that this will be a quick and easy heist?” Despite seeing a grin that brings much malice, Leo’s heart just takes over, wanting to fulfill whatever his lover wants and needs. Hoping that after this, he can see that sweet side of him again and not sleep on the floor this time.

 

“Positive.”


	2. Unexpected Tea Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niles comes back from a mission as Leo starts his.

It was a failure. A complete and utter failure. 

 

Niles wasn't able to keep track of the troops and instead of conquering the land as his father wanted, most of it was burnt to the ground and had to retreat before Niles lost any more men.

 

Anxiety starts to bubble up inside him as each step closes the gap between him and the door to the throne room. A deep breath exhales once he steps inside, his footsteps echoing through the dark halls and stopped before the towering figure of his father sitting upon his throne.

 

“Niles.” He visibly winced once his name was called out by that booming and disappointed tone.

 

"Another failed mission."

 

Niles tries to interject but, Garon stops him with a cold glare. 

 

"With more of my men dead in those fields instead of the curs I ordered you to take down. You will be under house arrest until our next skirmish with the enemy, perhaps you'll be less of a failure by then."

 

Niles can feel his stomach rising and blocking the airway to his throat as those words sear into his mind. He’s dismissed, and his body wants to shut down as soon as he hears the words "perhaps it was a mistake to bring you in," spoken as he walked out. 

 

His steps become heavier and heavier as he reaches the family villa. He stops nearby the fountain and sits on a bench, not wanting to see anyone or to be seen. 

 

He curses under his breath, his body slumping forward as his head rests in his weary hands. He tries to keep his breath steady until it became a hyperventilating mess. His mind was a whirlpool of harsh words echoing through his head, believing every one of them. But, soon, he was soothed when a small hand found its way into his wild white hair.

 

“...It’s past your bedtime, Elise,” he huffs as he keeps his face into his shaky palms. He doesn’t want to show her how puffy his eyes must’ve gotten or how red and teary they are right now.

 

“And leave you out here alone? No way!” She sticks her tongue out and sits next to him. They sit quietly next to each other as the wind starts to pick up, causing the younger to shiver a bit. Niles lets out a sigh and takes off his coat, placing it on his sister’s small shoulders. 

 

“Go back inside, you’ll catch a cold out here.”

 

“I never caught a cold before and never going to~” She has a cheeky grin on her face until she catches a grin forming on what she’s able to see of Niles’s face, “Don’t even say it!”

 

He lets out a soft chuckle and sits up, taking a look of the rare cloudless night and  the sight of the bright stars. “Say what, my precious little sister?~” He finally faces her and flashes a half hearted grin.

 

“Did Father say something mean to you again?” Her brows furrow as she leans onto him. She wishes she was able to help him out, and get him to believe that he’s more than what those meanies say about him.

 

Niles only gives a silent answer:   He rests his head on top of hers, and they sit there a little bit longer. “...Come, let’s get you to bed before your wetnurse starts to notice that you’re not in your room.”

 

“Tuck me in?” He gives her a nod and walks her back to her room, letting her keep his coat so he can make sure she’s all bundled up for the cold night.

 

He slowly treads his way to his bedroom as he takes a look around the villa’s windows, spotting some butlers doing late night chores. _Odd_ , he thinks They should’ve went back to their dorms already, but he waves it off. The idea of lying down on a soft bed was calling to him.

 

Once he made it past his study and kicked off his boots, he plops himself onto his bed face first. He wants to forget everything that happened earlier. He didn’t even bother undressing into his bed clothes as he seeps back into the bad thoughts that clouded his thoughts. 

 

His eyes slowly start to close, sleep about to enwrap him in its merciful grasp, when a large crash in the distance echoes through the halls near Niles’s room. He sits upright with wide eyes and hurriedly grabs his bow and slips on his boots to check out the source of the noise.

 

* * *

  


With careful planning on Leo’s part, the gang was able to sneak into the castle walls and borrow some extra butler outfits to blend in with the unsuspecting staff. They followed a path through the maze, left behind from an earlier stakeout, to find their way in. 

 

They split into teams of two as they roam about the villa, leaving Leo teamed up with Rafe. They quietly walked through the halls and come across one of Elise’s tea rooms. The light of the moon that peeks through the tall windows enhances the sheer pinkness of the room.

 

Leo looks over the small roundtable, surrounded by the young princess’s stuffed animals, with a doily and slightly wilting flowers in the middle. He hears clinking and looks over, seeing Rafe bagging a few teacups with their plates, leaving the girl’s heart adorned teacup cabinet empty and a few doilies misplaced.

 

“Quit staring and start bagging a few of the brat’s things.” he scowled at the blond then lets out a sigh, seeing a furrowed brow on his face. Rafe places the bag of teacups on the table and approaches Leo, gently touching the ends of Leo’s messy bob as he brings him closer. “Listen, they’ll most likely buy her newer and shinier teacups so don’t frown.” He cups Leo’s face and rubs his thumb on his cheek to make him relax, “You were always soft with the kids…”

 

Rafe leans in and continues to hold him, even with Leo tensing up in his arms, “Come on, let’s finish up here then we’ll storm in one of the princes’ rooms. Should be enough to fund our little home in the woods.” Damn it, Leo thought. He pushes his doubts down his throat, not wanting to disappoint him and ruin their chance of a new life together.

 

The blond nods his head as they finish up stripping most of Elise’s tearoom, leaving her stuffed animals and dolls alone. They head out from the room and head over to Niles’s area of the villa with ease - until they hear the sound of a vase crashing on the marble flook echoing through the halls.

 

With Rafe cursing under his breath, the duo rush towards the stairs, making their way down as an alarm was triggered. Soldiers storm into the villa and chase after the group. By throwing down cabinets and flipping over decorative tables for vases of flowers, they were able to keep the soldiers at bay and look for a way out now that the front door was blocked. 

 

_THWAP!_

_THWAP!_

 

A few arrows fly past the group, hitting a few of the gang members as the rest run off. One arrow was heading straight for Rafe, but Leo uses one of the plates that they stolen to block the attack and cause the arrow to ricochet off. 

 

“Impressive~” A silky smooth voice comes from the dark. Leo was distracted a bit, but it didn’t stop him  as he continued to rush to catch up. A few people escape out of the window, and are already running to the maze as Rafe and Leo made it to the window. An arrow swiftly nails Rafe’s hand to the window’s edge.

 

A pained grunt escapes Rafe’s mouth as Leo tries to get the arrow out from his hand. It’s far too deep, and stuck in the wood of the window. Leo freezes a bit when he hears footsteps approaching. A tall man blocks out the moon’s light. 

 

“What are you waiting for, you mutt?? Kill him!” Rafe shoves Leo forward with his foot before trying to get the arrow loose on his own. Leo stumbles forward as the tall man closes the gap and takes out a shortsword. He swings at Leo and Leo, panicking, picks up one of the fallen tables and uses it to block the attacks. The sword gets stuck in the table and causes one of the table’s legs to fall off. Thinking fast, Leo grabs and swings the table leg over the man’s head and quickly runs back to Rafe to escape, only to meet an arrow to the face. Pained gasps escape his mouth as he staggers back, holding his left eye in pain as soldiers surround him and pin him onto the ground. The soldiers help up the tall man from the ground, checking his head. With most of the attention now on a wounded Leo, Rafe takes advantage of the scene and flees, disappearing into the darkness of the maze. 

 

With the pain growing from his eye, all Leo just wanted to do was to curl up and cry as his body became limp like a ragdoll. Footsteps slowly approach him as the sweet honey voice speaks to the soldiers around him, but in a cold tone. “Lift his head up.” Leo’s head was forcibly held up to meet the tall man’s eyes.e finally saw his face under the torches’ light, his eyes devoid of much emotion except for a tinge of sadness. 

 

“Get him to a healer, then lock him up in dungeon like the other two. I have a few…” The voice drifts off as Leo’s vision got a bit hazy.Then, everything was shrouded in black.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sallksd finally wrote chapter one!
> 
> Thanks to Nan for helping me edit this q0q!
> 
> Sorry for taking long, commissions and school have most of my time!

**Author's Note:**

> aslkjdas i did it i finally started writing it ;v;~ maybe once i finish up commissions, I'll start writing the next chapter~
> 
> thank you for taking time to read it and special thanks to Nan for helping me edit/proof it~
> 
> come yell at me about this AU/LeoNiles at pulpodraws on twitter!


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